PATIENCE

 It is good to cultivate patience. Our mind lacks training in this aspect. We have to cultivate patience because it is a great antidote to anger and other harmful mental factors.

If we educate it in the cultivation of patience, our mind becomes more balanced. In addition, we will be better prepared to overcome difficult situations.

 We learn many things but come to few conclusions. We accumulate information, but we inhibit ourselves when making decisions. All this happens because we have not cultivated patience properly. We have not gone into things with the necessary calm and tenacity.

 When pitfalls and obstacles arise, doubts arise at the same time and one wonders if one is on the right path. Such doubts are diluted if we practice patience, if we are patient and persevering.

All results, whether in worldly or spiritual goals, are achieved through effort. The cheerful and enthusiastic effort. It takes effort to strengthen patience.     

 On different occasions we need different motivations in order to maintain the required effort and enthusiasm. It is called joyful or virtuous effort that leads us to a virtuous goal.

Why do we fail in our effort and sometimes do not reach our goals? Many times we lose enthusiasm. Why? For laziness and indolence. These attitudes are the opposite of virtuous effort. As long as there is indolence there will be no enthusiasm and vice versa.

These topics are discussed in the sutras. On the path to enlightenment and liberation from "samsara" (cycle of birth, life, death and reincarnation) effort is required. That is why we must avoid laziness, maintaining enthusiasm.

Indolence and laziness cause many harmful results. The relaxation regarding our goals should have a limit since in the end we will not feel good. Laziness basically consists of clinging to “lower activities”.         

The loss of time prevents us from reaching the goals. Not achieving our goals due to disappointment and lack of discipline. Also, unfortunately, the search for excessive comfort appears. This is called "lower activities."         

To correct these problems and be persistent over time, it is advisable, first of all, to gather the appropriate information. What does meditation mean to me? Give our goals a personal meaning. In addition, it is also convenient to know that there will be difficulties. It is very useful to have determination and to use joyful effort as armor.           

 In any type of project or business, it is necessary to know the difficulties that exist so as not to discourage us. And have the necessary knowledge to carry out the project.            

 In order to transform our ordinary mind and achieve its liberation, it is necessary to know the difficulties and how to get around them. Surely, the joyful effort will help us on this path to liberation. We are to use joyful effort as armor. This type of effort will allow us to accumulate merits.            

 Our mind is full of delusions. It is important to understand the various kinds of mental delusions. In life there are many games of winning and losing. We have to know what consequences these games, deceptions and distractions will have. Learn to recognize our mental deceptions. Delusions are not separate from the mind but within it. This is necessary as a preliminary step to obtain genuine happiness. Let's release our clinging to lower activities (laziness, indolence, lack of effort, search for excessive comfort...). This will benefit us on our spiritual journey.            

 We are afraid to face problems and take responsibility. The mind can be trained. We can cultivate security, confidence and courage to face problems and responsibility.           

 We will then be prepared, without fear, to face the difficulties. We will have more knowledge about the problems. In this way, we will stop being afraid of them. And finally, it will increase our ability to deal with them.            

 Buddha taught his disciples meditation on emptiness. The lower activities possess the nature of emptiness. These activities exist at the conventional level but not at the deepest level.            

 At the ultimate level there is no goal to reach. Lack of confidence, loss of enthusiasm, indolence and laziness are overcome in the way that has been explained.

Initially one may become discouraged and believe that one is not capable of attaining enlightenment. Enthusiasm is lost, thinking like that. We must remember, in this regard, the words of Milarepa: "In the beginning I felt that enlightenment was so far away, but when I understood the true nature of the mind, I felt it very close.            

 We become familiar with the knowledge gradually. If we keep in interest we will reach more knowledge about the meaning of trust, "bodhicitta", compassion, etc.            

 Even animals we see that they have the ability to maintain their effort. In the practice of love and compassion we are going to encounter many difficulties. We will feel discouraged and incapable because of it.            

 On the path of dharma (doctrine) there will be difficulties. This can discourage us. But if we can get rid of the afflictive emotions, through patient practice, we will experience happiness. We will go from happiness to happiness.            

 If our attitude is based on genuine compassion, we accumulate great merits that will help us.

If there are no non-virtuous actions

there is no suffering as a result.

The mind is very adept at generating wisdom.

If the mind has transformed all delusions,

mental suffering will not manifest.

“If we eliminate the non-virtuous

you will have no physical suffering.” (Santideva)

“Whoever attains wisdom

he will have no mental suffering” (Santideva)

If we see it this way, we will have enthusiasm and virtuous effort.

Dharmic activity depends on our will. Activities focused on our ego (just to earn money or keep oneself busy) are considered mundane. Activities motivated by compassion, selfless help to others become a virtuous activity.

If an activity aims to directly or indirectly benefit many beings, it is a compassionate activity. These types of activities are healthier.